JohnAbercrombie
Paddler
I had some materials and plenty of 'hobby time' so in early May I decided to build a shorter version of the Panthera, designed by Bjorn Thomasson.
I wanted a boat mostly for day paddling, with a rudder as I might want to play with a kayak sail in the future.
I decided on a LOA of 507cm (16'8").
Bjorn's plans can produce boats of different lengths as the mold spacing is varied, and 507cm is the LOA if the mold spacing is 39 cm.
I'm hoping that the lowered top speed capability and lower cargo capacity will be offset by the reduced wetted surface area, and less drag.
So, the plan was:
Panthera 'L' (higher deck version)
LOA 507 cm
Beam 53 cm (21")
SmartTrack 'Race' rudder with both regular and tandem (deeper) blades
Forward and aft compartments with SeaLect Performance hatches
Day compartment with KajakSport hatch
4mm Western Red Cedar strips
Epoxy resin - WEST and/or System Three (System Three Silvertip on the coaming and seat as it is almost colourless, not amber).
6 oz glass on hull outside, over Dynel strips on stem and aft keel
4 oz glass on hull inside, deck inside and out
Carbon fiber deck recesses for hatches and aft coaming
Alderson style deck recesses for lines (PVC pipe caps with 3/16" stainless bars, glassed on the inside)
Carbon/glass seat and coaming
Home-built footboard and rudder pedals
Painted finish (Valspar 2-part LPU)
Amsteel deck lines in 1/4" irrigation line
Building molds cut from 3/4" pine shelving from HDepot + 3/4 plywood from kitchen demolition
'T'- strongback from 2 x 8 s - same one I've used for years
Logos from Colin Franks at Signwave in Sidney
(more to follow)
Panthera | Björn Thomasson Design
Panthera – a surfski-sea kayak hybrid, 559x53 cm
www.thomassondesign.com
I wanted a boat mostly for day paddling, with a rudder as I might want to play with a kayak sail in the future.
I decided on a LOA of 507cm (16'8").
Bjorn's plans can produce boats of different lengths as the mold spacing is varied, and 507cm is the LOA if the mold spacing is 39 cm.
I'm hoping that the lowered top speed capability and lower cargo capacity will be offset by the reduced wetted surface area, and less drag.
So, the plan was:
Panthera 'L' (higher deck version)
LOA 507 cm
Beam 53 cm (21")
SmartTrack 'Race' rudder with both regular and tandem (deeper) blades
Forward and aft compartments with SeaLect Performance hatches
Day compartment with KajakSport hatch
4mm Western Red Cedar strips
Epoxy resin - WEST and/or System Three (System Three Silvertip on the coaming and seat as it is almost colourless, not amber).
6 oz glass on hull outside, over Dynel strips on stem and aft keel
4 oz glass on hull inside, deck inside and out
Carbon fiber deck recesses for hatches and aft coaming
Alderson style deck recesses for lines (PVC pipe caps with 3/16" stainless bars, glassed on the inside)
Carbon/glass seat and coaming
Home-built footboard and rudder pedals
Painted finish (Valspar 2-part LPU)
Amsteel deck lines in 1/4" irrigation line
Building molds cut from 3/4" pine shelving from HDepot + 3/4 plywood from kitchen demolition
'T'- strongback from 2 x 8 s - same one I've used for years
Logos from Colin Franks at Signwave in Sidney
(more to follow)
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